Pressure-regulator and cut-off



(No Model.) A

Y 0. J. MGGANN.

PRESSURE REGULATOR AND GUT-OFF.

N. PETERS; PnowLhMHPW. wuhingwn. D. c,

iINrrED STATES PATENT @Errea vOWEN J. MCGANN, oF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Messung-REGULATOR AND CUT-IOFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,719, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed August 12, IEBG. A Serial No. 210,756. (No model.)

- and Cut-Oft Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in pressureregulators and cut off apparatus particularly applicable for controlling the supply of natural gas from a main supply-pipe to and thro'ugh the branch pipes that are respectively allotted to the building or other points to be supplied with gas.

The principal objects of my invention are to automatically and with lcertainty reduce the pressure to a uniform standard to prevent leakage at the point where the supply may be cutoff, and to automatically close communication between the supply and delivery pipes upon a cessation of the fluid-supply, in order that upon a resumption of the supply all danger of the escape of gas into the room or rooms of a building through any of the burner-cocks which may inadvertently have been left open shall be avoided.

To the attainment of these and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In a pressure-regulator and cut-off embodying the principles of my invention I provide atubular doubleacting supply-valve, arranged to govern communication between the main or supply and the delivery pipes. Said supply-valve is provided with supply and delivery ports intermediate of its two seating portions,which latter are at a distance apart with relation to their respectively allotted seats to allowr them to separately, but not conjointly or simultaneously, seat to eut off communication between the supply and delivery pipes.

It has been found an impracticable matter to grind the faces of the two seating portions of a double valve so as to provide duid-tight joints between said seating portions and their seats when said seating portions seat or close simultaneously; but by providing the double valve with two seating` portions which may close or seat alternately, but not simultane ously, said vobjectionable feature is avoided.

The tubularv'doubleacting supply-valve is connected with and controlled by a movable abutment, which is subject on opposite sides, respectively, to the pressure of iluid delivered past the supply-valve and to the action of a An excess of Huid-pressure against said movable abutment operates 1 the latter so as to close the supply-valve by seating one of its aforesaid seating portions, while on the other hand the cessation of the fluid-supply and consequent absence of uidpressure against t-he movable abutment permits the spring or weight to operate the latter so as to close the supplyva1ve by seating the other one of its said two seating portions.

In order to prevent, upon 'a resumption of the fluid-supply, an accidental opening of the valve and consequent escape of gas through any of the burner-cocks which may have been left open at the time of the cessation of such supply, the apparatus is provided with a stop for automatically locking and holding the valve after it has been closed by the action of the spring or weight upon the movable abutment, in which way, while there may be a resumption of fluid-supply in the main or sup-v ply pipe, the same will be cut off from the delivery-pipe until after the stop has been manipulated in a manner to release the supply-v valve. Other features of construction tending to the general efficiency of the apparatus will be hereinafter specially set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l represents, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, an

'apparatus embodying thev principles of my invention. Fig. 2 represents said apparatus principally in elevation, the valve-casing being, however, in section. Fig. 3 is a detail representing in vertical section the tubular valve and the shell or casing. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail representing a device whereby the movable abutment canbe raised by hand against the spring resistance in order to open the valve after the stop has been manipulated in a man-l ner to release said valve.

In said drawings, A indicates-the tubular double-acting supply-valve adapted to govern communication between the main or supply pipe B and the delivery-pipe C, which latter may be in direct connection with the burners in` a building. The, said supply-.valve A is connected with and controlled by the movable abutment D, which is arranged to operate within a chamber, E, wherein it is subject on its lower side to the pressure of iluid delivered past the supply-valve and on its upper side to the action of a weight or a spring, F.

The supply-valve A consists of a tube or hollow cylinder closed at both ends and provided with the two externally-arranged annular seating portions a and a', the seating portion a being desirably arranged at one end of said cylinder, and the seating portiona back to some extent from the opposite end of said cylinder, in order to provide the tubular valve with a prolongation or extension, a, formed beyond one of its seating portions. The supply-port a3 and the delivery-port a* are arranged intermediate of the two seating portions, and are each conveniently formedby means of one or more annular lines of perforations formed through the tubular body of the valve. As herein shown, the supply-port a3 is adjacentto the seating portion a', while the delivery-port a* is adjacent to the seating portion a of the valve.

The main shell or casing G, for inclosing the supply-valve, is provided with a chamber, g, connected at opposite sides, respectively,with the supply and delivery pipes. Said chamber contains a centrally-arranged short cylindric shell or casing, g', which is open at both ends, and which provides a chamber or bearing wherein the tubular supply-valve is fitted to work. Said casing or bearing g is supported within the main chamber g by partitions g2,

which serve to divide the main chamber g in two portions, one of said partitions being connectedwith the casing or bearing g at one end lof the same, while the remaining partition unites with said casing or bearing at its opposite end. When the supply-valve is arranged to work vertically, as herein shown, the seat for the seating portion a of the valve is arranged at the upper end of the casing or bearing.g', which said casing or cylindric bearing is provided at its lower end with a seat for the seating portion a of the supply-valve.

rllhe distance between the two seating portions of the tubular supply-valve is greater than the distance between the two seats, in which way said seating portions may be seated alternately, but not simultaneously; or both may be removed and held away from their seats at one and the same time. Thus, for eX- ample,when the valve is open, asin Fig. 1, both of said seating portions will be unseated and the valve held balanced in a position to bring its suppl y and delivery ports, respectively, beyond the-two ends of the tubular bearing g', in which way the supply-port of said valve will be in open communication with that portion of chamber g with which the supply-pipe B connects, while the delivery-port will open into that portion of chamber g which connects with the delivery-pipe C. On tle other hand, said valve may be closed, as in Fig. 2,wherein the seating portion a of the valve is seated so as to bring its delivery-port within the tubular bearing g, while in Fig. 3 the valve is closed by reason of its seating portion a being seated so as to bring its supply-port with the tubular bearing g.

Fluid delivered past said supply-valve and into the delivery-pipe C is to a greater or less extent delivered to the :movable abutment by means of suitable pipe-connection arranged-to lead from the deliverypipe C to the lower portion of the abutment-chamber E, as in Fig. 2, wherein said pipe-connectioli is provided with a valve-cock, H, for regulating the ilow of fluid into the abutment-chamber, and thereby avoiding any sudden shock or' jar resulting from sudden back-pressure. In said figure, pipeconnection between the deliverypipe and the abutment-chamber is formed by means of a tube or pipe, I, connected with the delivery-pipe and provided with the valved branch pipe 7L, which connects with the lower portion of said abutment-chamber.

The movable abutment herein shown consists of a flexible diaph ragm,d, arranged within the abutment-chamber,and a plate or disk, d',

which rests upon said diaphragm,r and which is provided with a pendent stem, d2, extended down through the diaphragm and provided with a nut or shoulder, d, arranged to abut against the under side of the flexible diaphragm.

The connection between the stem a5 of the supply-valve and the stem dL of the movable abutment consists of a lever, K, which is fulcrumed upon a support, L, within the abutment-chamber, one end of said lever being pivotally connected with the stem of the movable abutment, and its other end being pivototally connected with the valve-stem, which latter extends into the abutment chamber through an opening in the shell or casing of said chamber.

When the movable abutment is arranged as in Fig. 1, it is raised byfluidpressure against its under side and depressed by theaction of a weight or spring against its upper side, the spring F herein shown being conned within a tubular neck at the top of the casing of the abutment-chamber and adapted to act against roo IIO

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the stem d4, which rises from the plate or disk v d of said movable abutment.

When the pressure is at the desired standard, the supply-valve will be open, as in Fig. 1, the pressure against the under side of the movable abutment being suiiicient to over come a portion of the spring resistance, and thereby maintain the movable abutment in position to hold the valve open. An excess of pressure will, however, raise the 'movable abutment suiiiciently to close the valve by seatingits seating portion a, as in Fig. 2.

354,719 y l a Should for any reason the supply fail in the main supply-pipe, the spring will force down the movable'abutment so as to raise the valve and close its seating portion a upon its allotted seat, as in Fig. 3, thereby automatically cutting off communication between the supply and the delivery pipe.

In order to lock the supply -valve `when closed, as in the last-mentioned instance, in

order that upon a resumption of the supply escape of gas into anyburner-cocks which may have been left open shall be prevented, I provide a stop device, M, arranged to work through the side of the casing of the abutment-chamber and adapted to lock the leverK after the latter shall have beenbrought into position to close the valve, as in Fig. 3. Said stop consists of a spring-controlled,push-pin provided with a beveled inner end, which, when the lever K is in a horizontal position, as in Fig. l, is in juxtaposition to and matches the beveled end of a finger, 7c, with which said lever is provided. By such arrangement, when the movable abutment vis depressed from its position shown in Fig. l, the end of the lever which is provided with the beveled finger 7s, will be raised, during which action said finger will push back the stop and ride up over the same, the stop, as soon as the finger is above its line of action, being instantly forced byits spring under the finger, thereby locking the valve until an operator shall have taken hold of the stop and withdrawn the same from under the finger. After the lever has been thus released, itis necessary to raise the movable abut` ment so as to open the Valve, it being observed thatsaid stop constitutes an auxiliary safeguard for locking and holding the lever against accidental movement while the supply-valve is in the position shownvin Fig. 3. Various means could be employed for raising the diaphragm or movable abutment, one of which is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the device consists of a handle, N, provided with a threaded socket, which can be engaged with a threaded portion of the stem elf of the movable abutment, it being necessary in applying said handle to first re-I move a cap, E', which is herein shown screwed upon the neclrwhich contains spring F.

The prolongation or extension a2 of the tubular supply-valve is iitted to work in a short cylindric chamber, g3, formed at the bottom of the main chamber y of the valve-casing, it being observed that a space is left between the tubular bearing g and said socket or chamber g3. The socket or chamber g provides an additional bearing for steadying the valve, and in order to connect it with the open air, so as to prevent the presence of an aircushion therein, which would obstruct the action of the valve, it is -connected at its bottom with a relief-passage formed through a pipe, O, which extends above the apparatus and connects with an exit-pipe, l?, that communicates with the open air.

To permit the free action of the diaphragm and prevent the presence of an air-cushion between its upper side and -the top wall of the abutment-chamber, I provide a relief-passage formed by a pipa-Q, which serves to connect the upper portionof the abutment-chamber' with the discharge-pipe I?, in which way an exceedingly great pressure within the apparatus may be relieved. l

It will be observed that while a pressureregulator and cut-off has been provided with a supply-valve having two seating portions, said seating portions have been arranged to seat conjointly or simultaneously. In practice it has been found to be a matter of extreme difficulty, and, in fact, almost an impossibility, to grind such two seat faces or portions true to their allotted seats when said seating portions both seat at one and the same time; but by arranging them so as to` seat alternately, as herein shown, said difcnlty isk entirely obviated. i

It will also beobserved that whenv the supply-valve is closed by reason of the absence of fluid-pressure against one side ofthe movable abutment, and the spring or weight action against the opposite side of said abutment, the position of the valve will be such as to permit pressurein the supply-pipe B, consequent upon a resumption of Huid-supply in the main, to actin a manner to assist the valve-controlling apparatus or devicein'holding the valve closed. Thus, for example, when the valve is closed, as in Fig. 3, pressure from pipe B will act against the lower exposed surface ofthe lower seating portion of the valve, thereby assisting in lholding the valve in its raised position,

The stop device e'iiectively guards against anyaccidental opening of the valve from its closed position of Fig. 3, and in case the lower seating portion of the valve should be constructed so that when seated it shall not -present any material portion of its surface to pressure in the Asupply-pipe, said stop device will become all the more necessary.

What I claim as my invention isl. Inapressure-regulator and cut-off, a tubular double-acting supply-Valve provided with supply and delivery ports intermediate of its two seating portions, which latter are at a distance apart to allow them to separately, but not conjointly, close or seat to cut off communication between the supply and delivery pipes, in combination with a movable abutment connected with and controlling said supplyvalve, and subject on opposite sides, respectively, to the pressure of fluid delivered past the supply-valve and to the action of a weight or spring, substantially as described.

2. In a pressure-regulator and cut-off, a double-acting supply-valve governing communication between thesupply'and delivery pipes, in combination with and controlled by a movable abutment subject on opposite sides,

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respectively, to the pressure of iiuid delivered past the said supply-valve and to the action of a weight or spring, and a stop adapted to Vlock the su ppl y-valve, when the latter is closed by the action of the spring or weight, against the movable abutment, substantially as described.

3. In a pressure-regulator and eut-ott, the valve-casing provided with a chamber connected at opposite points, respectively, with a supply and a delivery pipe, a tubular supplyvalve governing communication between said pipes, and a movable abutment controlling the supply-valve, and subject on opposite sides, respectively, to the pressure of lluid delivered past the supply-valve and to the action ot' a Weight or spring, in combination with the relief-pipe connected with the valve-chamber at a point opposite one end of the tubu-lar supply- Valve, and leading to an escape pipe or pas` sage, substantially as described.

4. In a pressure-regulator and cut-off, the tubular double-acting supply-valve provided with supply and delivery ports intermediate of its two seating portions, in combination with the valve-casing connected with the supply and delivery pipes and provided with a short cylindric valve-chamber having seats at both ends, the said tubular suppl-yvalve being applied to work within said cylindric chamber, and being prolonged so as to iitand work within aseparate cylindric chamber withwhich the valve-casing is provided, substantially as described.

5. In a pressure-regulator and cutoff, the tubularsupply-valve governing communication between the supply and delivery pipes and a chamber containing a movable abutment subject on opposite sides, respectively, to the pressure of fluid delivered past the fulcrumed within the chambers containing the movable abutment, and connected at its ends, respectively, with the movable abutment and the stem of the supply-valve, and the stop or latch for engaging and locking said lever, which latter is provided with a finger which matches the beveled or wedgeshaped end ofthe latch, whereby when the lever is actuated by a depression of the movable abutment its said linger will push back the latch so as to pass above the same, substantially as set forth.

7. In a pressure-regulator, a supply-valve controlling communication between the supply and delivery pipes and a movable abutment connected with the supply-valve, and subject ou opposite sides, respectively, to the pressure of fluid delivered past the supplypipel and to the action of a weight or spring, in combination with the relief pressure-valve located external to the chamber containing the movable abutment, and connected both with the delivery-pipe and with the-fluidrcceiving portion of said chamber, substantially as described.

OVEN J. MCGANN.

Witnesses:

GHAs. G. PAGE, L. S. LOGAN. 

